WATCH: Finlay Christie rounds off STUNNING try in Blues’ quarter-final against Waratahs

NewsExpressHindi November 7, 2024

Blues scrum-half Finlay Christie caught the eye as he rounded off a brilliant team try in his side’s 41-12 triumph over the Waratahs in their Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final at Eden Park on Friday.

With the score 7-3 in the Waratahs’ favour, the Blues launched a counter-attack from inside their 22 with Mark Telea prominent as he took on the visiting defence.

Telea’s progress was halted on the edge of his 22 but the ball was recycled quickly and taken wide where AJ Lam found himself in space down the left wing.

He was soon on the Waratahs‘ 10-metre line where threw an inside pass to Bryce Heem, who offloaded to Rieko Ioane.

He then got a pass out to Christie – just outside the visitors’ 22 – and despite a desperate tackle from Izaia Perese, the All Blacks shrugged off his attentions to score a well-taken try which was converted by Beauden Barrett.

Click here for teams and scorers

Earlier, the Waratahs had made a splendid start when Ned Hanigan went over for the opening try in the third minute, after a superb line break from Perese in the build-up.

Tane Edmed added the extras to give the visitors a 7-0 lead before Barrett narrowed the gap with a penalty shortly afterwards.

Christie’s converted five-pointer followed and with the score 10-7 in their favour, the Blues had their tails up as they took control of proceedings. And just before half-time Nepo Laulala barged over from close quarters for their second converted try which gave them a 17-7 lead at the interval.

The home side continued to dominate after the break and five minutes after the restart they increased their lead when Ricky Riccitelli crossed for their third five-pointer off the back of a lineout drive deep inside Waratahs territory.

With a comfortable 17-point lead, the Blues upped the ante on attack and were rewarded with two further tries from Zarn Sullivan and Telea which meant they had the game in the bag by the 69th minute with the score 38-7 in their favour.

The Waratahs struck back with a consolation try from Dylan Pietsch shortly afterwards but the home side sealed their Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth when Harry Plummer slotted a penalty in the game’s dying moments.

Video credit: Super Rugby Pacific

Click Here: Palmeiras soccer tracksuit